Curiosity Killed the Wolf
by Leilani972
Summary: As an intern at a Seattle newspaper, Leah's investigating a case which trail leads her back home 2 years after her leaving, raising more questions as she learns what is myth and what is real.
1. Prologue

_A/N: This story is set during Eclipse, before the graduation. Leah isn't a wolf, but the rest of the story happened.  
I want to thank my two amazing betas, **Karamelkat** and **Lolabean**, for accepting the huge task of helping me through the English grammar and for the amazing job they'd done so far!_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

As she spotted La Push's welcome sign, Leah Clearwater found herself traveling down memory lane. It had been two years since she had set foot on the Reservation that had seen her growing up and she wasn't too happy to come back there. As much as she loved the place, she couldn't forget the last six months she spent in la Push before leaving for Seattle.

She was happier now. She didn't have to witness the evolving relationship between her ex and her cousin,who ripped her heart apart as if it was nothing. She didn't have to hear her father telling her every day that her love for Sam Uley was just a tiny crush and that they weren't meant to be. She knew he meant well saying that, because he was worried about her and couldn't stand to see her so depressed, but that didn't make his words less hurtful. She still resented him for the way he approved of Sam's behavior towards her.

Back then, everything around her had been falling apart when Sam returned and she knew it wasn't normal. The dynamic in the Reservation had changed. The Elders were more agitated and the council had imposed insane rules upon the tribe. They were forbidden to go to Forks to get medical treatment and somehow they relied on Sam to make sure that their "ordinances" were obeyed.

When La Push became Sam Uley's full territory, Leah knew that she had to get out of there. She had to fight against her father to have the right to leave the reservation. Sam didn't think it was a good idea. He was worried for her safety. She knew he was stalking her every night; she could feel his eyes on her every time she got out of her house. Sometimes she could hear him talking to her father about what she did during the day, and Harry would come to her room and scold her about her behavior. It was pissing her off and she felt like she would lose her mind if she didn't leave. So she left. She still didn't know how, but she did. And she was determined to stay out of La Push until the end of her days.

But fate had other plans for her than the ones she'd made and she was forced to come back home.

_Home_. It was strange to think about La Push like that. The last moments she spent in that place had made her feel like she was an outsider. It wasn't with a light heart that she was back to square one. She'd found a job in Seattle after her studies. It was a very good job, one which she didn't want to lose. And it was because of her job that Leah found herself in such close proximity to her hometown.

The Seattle Daily's editor, Leah's boss, believed in her. He kept her after her student training course and she worked hard to prove him that he did a good choice. She overstepped her functions, correcting the articles she was supposed to type for other writers without their consent and pointing out their mistakes bluntly. Her overzealousness gave her a few enemies among her colleagues who didn't appreciate her manners, but it also put her under a new light. The editor, impressed by the way she didn't beat around the bushes, decided to give her a chance to prove herself by allowing her to follow her instincts. She was working on a case from the beginning of her internship and she always thought it would have made an interesting subject, so she asked for the permission to push her investigation further.

As soon as she got the editor's approval, she felt the need to go to Forks. She had asked Charlie Swan, a dear friend of her father and an essential element of her plan to get a promotion, if he couldn't house her. She didn't know his daughter had moved in with him and he was pretty upset about the fact that he couldn't help her, but she was okay with that. When he suggested her to go back to La Push, she refused explicitly.

What she didn't expect was a phone call from her mother pleading her to let her family help her.

Leah wasn't sure if she could stay at the same place as Harry, but she couldn't say no to Sue Clearwater. Her mother was here to back her up when she felt that her world was crumbling down. She was the only one, with Leah's brother, to stand up for her when she needed to leave, and she was the only one to have stayed in touch with Leah after all.

So there she was, pulling up at the Clearwater's alley and hoping that something had changed for the better in the Quileute Reservation. But as she spotted the gigantic copycat of Sam Uley near her sobbing mother and recognized his smile as being her brother's, she knew that it was worse than she'd ever imagined. She just didn't know at what extent she would be affected by all the changes that happened in la Push.


	2. Chapter 1

_Curiosity Killed the Wolf - Chapter 1_

...

Strangely, Leah was the one to run into her mother's arms. She missed Sue dearly and she couldn't help but feel safe in her embrace.

"My, my! Look at you, kid! You're so grown-up right now!" Sue joked while looking at her daughter.

"Come on, Mom! I haven't changed that much!"

"You have! Last time I saw you, you were skinny and -"

"And way taller than me!" Seth added jokingly as he hugged his sister.

She flinched a little before hugging him back awkwardly. His high temperature, his tattoo… even his voice reminded her of Sam. It brought back memories of his and Emily's betrayal and the loneliness she felt. She was in the only place in the reservation she thought she would be safe and with someone whom she thought would always be on her side, but Seth had to go and idolize Sam again to the point of becoming one of his official doubles. She didn't know if she should call an exorcist to get her brother back, or run back to Seattle quickly, but she had to say something.

"Which demon are you and what have you done to my little brother? He was kind of nice, once you got past his smelly feet!" she finally asked.

"Hey! Don't be mean just because you're jealous of the awesomeness I've become!" he replied, puffing out his chest which caused her to roll her eyes.

"Don't start you two!" Sue scolded. "Seth, grab your sister's bags and put them in her room, will you?"

He grumbled something about annoying big sisters who underestimated him, but complied nonetheless. While he did that she let her mother lead her into the house; pausing to look at the photos in the main room. Smiling softly, her eyes paused over a picture of herself when she was around 8. She was lifting a big fish proudly while her brother stood next to her looking like he was about to pass out. Fishing with her father was the great highlights of her holidays. She loved that she shared his passion and the memory of his pride in her was bittersweet; it had always been their special thing.

"Seth still wants me to get rid of it!" her mom laughed, startling her. "He doesn't like when I tell the story behind it!"

"He's probably afraid that the myth of his awesomeness could be taken down by his fear of trout!"

"I am not afraid of trout!" he protested loudly, making Sue laugh harder and Leah slightly confused that he could hear them from her bedroom.

"If I remember clearly, he screamed like a scared animal when you tried to make him hold it!" her mom added.

"The only thing I remember was you threatening him that he would have to sleep with it if he didn't shut up, and he did, but then you had to make him sleep with you because he had nightmares about trout trying to kill him!" Leah said.

"Oh well, sometimes I wish I could go back in time and shield him from everything that could go wrong in his world," her mom sighed sadly. "But I can't. He's an adult, now…" her mom's words trailed off.

"He's only 14, Mom! Except from his abnormal growth spurt, he's far from being an adult! Besides, what could go wrong for him at his age?"

Curiously, she noticed her mom sigh again before shaking her head.

"You're right. Well, I need to finish dinner before your father comes back! You know how he is when he's hungry!"

Her mom's voice was a little too loud and her smile too bright; it seemed forced. She frowned, realizing the subject was being changed. Oddly, it added to her sadness as the realization hit home that her father wasn't present to welcome her back.

"Yeah, I know. Do you need any help?"

"Oh, no! Don't worry, I got it covered! Go take a nap, you must be tired with the ride and all."

"I live in Seattle Mom. Not on the East Coast!" she whined, already irritated by her mother's attentions.

"Well, if you're not tired, I don't mind some help."

…

She was baffled when she saw the amount of food her mom was making and questioned her about it. "Are you expecting someone? Wait, let me rephrase it. Are you hosting a welcome party or something?"

"No, it's just for the four of us. Nobody else is coming," her mother answered calmly.

"Are you kidding me? You've cooked for an army!"

"When you see how much your brother can wolf down, you'll understand." her mom chuckled, adding, "I don't want to have to make some more, so I allow myself a good margin. Maybe there will be enough for lunch tomorrow!"

"I can't believe it…" she breathed in astonishment. "Since when have you become a slave to the kitchen?"

"I'm not! Usually, he eats at Emily's. But today was a special occasion and –"

Sue stopped herself and looked at her daughter when she heard the sound of glass shattering. Her heart clenched as she noticed the agonizing hurt plastered on Leah's face.

The latter was absolutely crushed to know that her suspicions had been exact. The way Seth walked around, talked, and looked at her reminded her too much of the stranger Sam had become to her when he came back, and she was devastated to see that he managed to corrupt her little brother. Even more, she was convinced that her father was responsible for Seth's change.

"Oh, Leah, I'm sorry. I –"

"It's okay, Mom. I… I was just surprised," she lied. "I guess I shouldn't be, after two years away from here, everybody must have lived like I never existed!"

"It's not like that, kid. Sam has really been helpful with Seth when he… Needed help."

"I bet he was," she snorted.

"Leah –"

"Look, can we just stop talking about Sam and Emily and whatever you've done with them? I just got back and I really don't want to think about them."

"If you're still hurt over what Sam did, you shouldn't have come back."

She gasped at her brother's words, staring at him in disbelief. Meeting his eyes, she shuddered as his eyes were black and the cool, hard stare that accompanied it. All her instincts were telling her that the man in front of her wasn't her Sethy-chan anymore.

"Seth, don't start anything you'll regret later!" her mom warned.

"Sorry, Leah. I just don't get it. I thought you were finally over it since you're back home and now you're freaking out because I'm eating at Emily's."

"Being over something doesn't make what happened less painful," was all she said before picking up the broken pieces of glass.

He stood awkwardly in the kitchen before leaving when he realized that his sister wasn't ready to talk to him.

"He misses you, Leah," her mom confessed softly.

"Well, he has a funny way to show it. I mean… I know I wasn't there and I don't know what happened, but are you the only one in this house happy to see me again?"

"No! Of course not, kid! Seth was ecstatic when you said you were coming!"

"Excuse me but I find it hard to believe."

"He's just afraid that you'll hate him because of his… Circle of friends."

"You mean because he feels comfortable around Sam after he broke my heart and tried to regulate my life as if I was still with him?"

"Exactly what I said!" her mom replied with a sigh.

"What a moron! As long as he doesn't go all Sam Uley on me, I don't think I'll ever hate him!"

"Exactly what I said, once again!"

She couldn't help but chuckle at her mother's antics and they finished the dinner in a relatively calm atmosphere.

Harry Clearwater arrived just as his daughter was finishing to set the table. Their last discussion had been filled with hurtful words and though she was forgiven; the anxiety was still there. She was still afraid of his reaction towards her.

"Leah," he said, his expression neutral making his daughter's heart beating faster.

"Hi, Father," she replied curtly.

"You've cut your hair."

"I do. Looks more professional than a braid."

"I see. How long are you staying?"

She felt disappointed in how he was treating her, but it was no less than what she had expected. They were already drifting apart from each other before she left without his permission and the gap between them didn't stop growing when she was in Seattle.

"I don't know yet. I'm here for work, so I'll be gone as soon as I finish."

"Oh, right. Charlie told me you were going to work together. May I ask what you're working on?"

"Nothing related to La Push. Don't worry, I won't stay long."

"You can stay as long as you want, and as long as you respect our rules. It's your home."

"My home..." she snorted. "Yeah, I feel the love here..."

"Leah -"

"I have to wash my hands before dinner," she said before running upstairs.

Her conversation with her father - if she could call it a conversation - opened all her wounds and made her feel more of a stranger in her own family. She hadn't recognized her mom nor her brother anymore and his father was acting as if she was a mere acquaintance. She knew she was also to blame for that, because of her refusal to come back for Christmas or the family reunion, but she couldn't stand the fact that she would have to face the two people she hated the most during those events.

When she came back to eat, Seth was already gone. Her mom said he had something important to do and when she tried to know where he was going, her father answered that she shouldn't worry about her brother because Sam and his other friends were with him. She tried to have a civil conversation with her parents, but the more they were talking to her, the more she shut herself to their words.

They were trying to update her with all she missed when she was away : Bella Swan's return in Forks, the new rules established by the council... But she didn't care about that. She isolated herself from the life in the Reservation, severing her links with all her friends who were already starting to admire Sam wonderful involvement in the tribe's development, and with those who couldn't understand what she was going through.

She had a pleasant life outside of the rez; a job, a sex interest - who proclaimed he was her boyfriend even though she didn't feel the same way - and she was enjoying herself, but she couldn't say that she didn't miss her family. Now that she was with them, she was thinking that maybe, just maybe, she shouldn't have left. Maybe she could have helped Seth instead of leaving him at Sam's mercy. Maybe her mother could have relied on her instead of Emily.

Maybe she would have saved her family, instead of losing it completely to _them._


	3. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thanks a lot to those who let a review and who also put this story in your favorites so far!_

_I know most of you find it hard to understand Harry's behavior. He's an elder and he's trying to protect Leah as much as he can, but he can't tell her what's going on with Sam and the others and even if it doesn't show it, it's really killing him. _

_By the way, here's the second chapter. Leah's ordeal is far from ending..._

_Again, a huge thanks to Karamelkat and Lolabean for their amazing work with me! _

_Enjoy!_

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Curiosity Killed the Wolf - Chapter 2

...

When Seth got home just before dawn, he was surprised to find his sister awake in the living room. He knew by the way she looked at him that she had been waiting for him to return. His heart warmed at the idea of her worrying about him.

"Morning, _Beast_!" he teased, knowing that she hated his nickname for her.

"Where were you, _Beauty_?"

"Look, if you stayed up to lecture me, just don't. I was with my friends and I was making sure that the tribe is safe. Mom and Dad are okay with that, so you don't have anything to say."

"Don't you have school today?"

Seth cringed at her mention of his other duty he still had to do today. He was tired and dying to go upstairs and to sleep all day, but he couldn't because his parents wouldn't let him miss school. Sam would blow a gasket if he actually did.

"Don't worry about it. I'm going to take a nap, and after I'll go. But I need to eat something before."

Leah watched her brother walk into the kitchen, dumbfounded. She couldn't understand how her parents could be so permissive with him when her father had lectured her, reminding her just last night of the rules in force under their roof and throughout the reservation.

There was something wrong with them. She was certain that there was a connection with Sam and she was determined to find out what was going on.

But first, she needed to sleep. She had some investigationing to do, and the sooner she had finished her work, the sooner she could focus on the strange happenings surrounding her brother… Or the sooner she'd be able leave this insane place.

…

She woke up three hours later, still exhausted, but not wanting to stay in bed as she too motivated by her desire get her work done. She quickly showered and then informed her parents that she had to go to Forks.

"Remember what I told you, Leah! Don't stay outside the reservation at sunset, and don't go in the woods!" Harry yelled.

"Why the hell would I go in those freaking woods?" she grumbled as she got near her car, irritated. "Stupid irrational old man!"

"You shouldn't talk about your father like that!"

She frowned and looked around until her gaze fell over a huge hulk of a man. Despite his harsh words, he smiled at her as if he knew her, but she couldn't tell who he was.

"And you should mind your own business. And also wear a shirt! What's with you, the La Push guys, parading around with nothing more than shorts all over the reservation? Are you promoting your entry into the next Mr. America contest or planning to open a strip club?"

"I don't know if I should be flattered or offended that you think I'm hot enough to be a stripper, but I'll go for flattered, Darkwater," the stranger retorted, smiling brightly as he put a black shirt on.

"Jacob? Jacob Black? This huge ball of muscles is really you?" She gaped at him, totally flabbergasted. Only he used that stupid nickname.

"The one and only! I heard that you were going down to Forks. Mind giving me a ride?"

"Who told you that?" she asked him suspiciously.

"Err… You know how rumors can spread quickly in La Push! I heard my dad talking about it this morning and I really need a ride today."

Her frowned deepened as she studied him. She knew him well enough to be able to tell when he was lying and she was glad that despite all those change in his body that made him look like any of Sam's super soldier, his manners hadn't changed at all. He was still fidgety and bouncing slightly from a foot to the other as he had in the past when he lied.

"My father asked you to come with me, right?"

"Ok, you got me," he sighed. "But I really need a ride. Just… Bring me to the police station and I'll walk from there. It's not too far."

"Where are you going exactly?"

"Forks High. I have someone to see," he explained uneasily.

She hesitated a moment, but his pleading eyes got the best of her. "Are you coming or are you decided to make me waste more of my time?" she finally gave in.

His smile grew and ran towards the passenger's side. "So, how's life in Seattle?" he asked her after an excruciating silence.

"Pretty good. Actually, I'm kinda happy with my new life."

"Good for you. You here for long?"

"Why does everyone ask that? Do I bother you that much that you already want me gone?" she replied harshly.

"No! Of course not! It's just… Seth misses you, you know?"

"Yeah, right. He missed me so much that he didn't even stay for dinner last night," she scoffed.

"He had… Important things to do…"

"More important than welcoming back his long lost sister he claims to miss?"

"I'm sorry," he said suddenly.

"Why? It's not your fault if he prefers hanging out with my ex instead of me! Speaking of my ex… I thought you were scared of his cult."

She noticed as he tensed and decided to push her luck. "If I remember correctly, you, Quil and Embry were always running to the other side of the road so you wouldn't get contaminated by Sam. And now you look exactly like him."

"Things change. I changed. And I know I said I would never join Sam's gang but… He –"

"Let me guess. He made you see the light and you finally find a sense to your pathetic life. Now you have a true destiny thanks to him?"

"No. But you shouldn't judge him so harshly. I mean… I get the whole 'He broke my heart' thing, but you know Sam is a good guy. Besides didn't you just say you're happy now? Haven't you realized by now how he wasn't meant for you?"

His words made her heart constrict. The more he was trying to make her see his point; the more she was hurt by him. She remembered her father telling her nearly the same thing. Sam and Emily were 'meant to be' and to let it go because she wouldn't stand a chance.

It made her feel like her cousin was some kind of royalty and she was just a piece of trash. She remembered feeling like a failure when Sam came to her and broke up with her. He told her that she wasn't it anymore for him, that he had found someone better for him and she would never be right for him. She didn't want to feel like that anymore, but Jacob's words were bringing her to that point and her anger flared as her self-esteem plummeted.

"Don't you dare telling me how I should feel about Sam when you know nothing about my relationship with him!" she finally cracked. "Sam Uley is nothing more than a bastard with an oversized ego who loves riding the power trip you all give him. Maybe you don't feel like that anymore, but don't you dare try to make me feel otherwise towards him and the home-wrecking whore he chose instead of me!"

"Leah –"

"You already said what you thought about it. I get it. Sam is the good guy. I should be happy that he deign to look at me once, and more than happy that he found a purpose with my freaking cousin. But sorry, I'm not and will never be, so if you want to stay in that car, I suggest you to shut your trap about him once and for all."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have… I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were still in love with him."

"I'm not." Or least she didn't think she was anymore.

"I'm not really skilled with love drama, you know…"

"You don't have to tell me. You're just a kid."

"You were a kid yourself when you first dated Sam!" he retorted before smiling sheepishly when she glared at him.

"Why aren't you at school, anyway?"

"I told you, I have someone to see today. Plus, I have to stay near you until you come back to La Push."

"So, you're like my slave for the day?" she teased.

His laughed echoed inside the car. "More like a bodyguard!"

"That's ridiculous. I don't need a bodyguard! I'm not some kind of damsel in distress. I've lived in a big city for over 2 years and I've never been assaulted or harassed. What can possibly happen to me in Forks?" she scoffed.

She watched his face becoming suddenly serious and the hard edge to his voice made her shiver. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

She stayed silent, trying to find something in her mind that could be worse than what she mentioned earlier. Her curiosity was seriously piqued and his words and actions made her wonder if it wasn't the cause of the changes in the reservation. She knew her father and the rest of the Elders; they were very protective of their families and their tribe, but being responsible for their well-being also made them behave like bad politicians.

And politicians were known to cover up everything and never explain the reason of their actions. They just wanted a flock of sheep to follow them. She'd have to ask Charlie about that, too.

When they finally arrived at Forks High and she couldn't help but feel his sudden anxiety as she parked her car.

"Well, we're here!" she said, hesitantly putting her hand on his knee.

"I know. She isn't here yet," he breathed, playing with his fingers.

"She? As in a girl?"

"Who else do you think – wait, don't answer that."

"Does your father know you're ditching school because of a girl?"

"I'm not – Ok. First of all, I'm not at school because they ordered me to follow you like your shadow. Not because of Bella."

"Bella? Bella Swan? Charlie's daughter? What are you… Are you dating her?"

"No, I'm not," he sighed.

"But you wish you could, huh?"

"Listen, Leah. I'm not here to discuss about my love life!"

"Or your lack of it, for this case. Is she already taken?"

"Yes, she is. Wait! How did you… I don't even… I'm here for business."

"What kind of business have you with this girl? Is she dealing drugs or… Are you selling drugs, Jacob?"

"For Pete's sake, Leah, do I look like a drug dealer?"

"Yes, you do!"

"Well I'm not!"

"So what do you want with her?"

"Can you just stop asking question?" he whined, slightly irritated.

"I'm a trainee journalist. It's my job to ask questions," she replied, smirking.

"Well, you have to stop right now!" he growled.

"Ok! Get out of the car."

"What?"

"You're still in my car. If I want to listen to a girly song or to heavy metal, it's my right because it's my car. You have no say in what I can or cannot do, because it is my car! My car, my rules. So either you do as I say and you can stay in it or don't then you can get out. So…"

She bent over him and opened the passenger door. "Go worry about your conversation with your not so quite girlfriend outside and don't expect a ride back to La Push. Ever," she concluded harshly.

He glared at her and started shaking, making her curl up in her seat. Images of Sam and his fits of anger when he came back from his 2 weeks disappearance, destroying her dresser and leaving a dent in every wall he could when she was saying something which didn't please him, flew to her mind.

She didn't think her ex could hurt her; until she found out about Emily's 'accident'. When people first mentioned it, Leah was convinced he was the cause of her cousins' scars. They didn't found any trace of bear near Emily's house and Sam might be bulky, but he wouldn't be able to chase a huge animal, especially if it was ready to kill Emily, who was only injured on the face.

"If you're planning to destroy my car so that you won't have to answer my questions, I suggest you think otherwise, because I won't hesitate to make you pay for the damage," she managed to say with a shaky voice. Not that she feared him, but still…

He shook his head, as if he was pulled out of a trance before getting out of the car with a confused look. "I'm sorry, Leah. Please, don't be mad at me. I'm... I can't control my emotions when it comes to Bella."

"I saw that. Look, I don't know what's going on between you and her, but -"

"She's coming!"


	4. Chapter 3

_A/N: Sorry for the delay. I'm actually trying to write an original story for a French contest and it's eating all my available time. _

_This chapter shows the beginning of Leah's investigations. Hope you'll like it!_

_A huge thanks_ _to_ Lolabean _who is an amazing beta!_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Curiosity Killed the Wolf - Chapter 3

...

Leah had no idea why she'd stayed there while Jacob walked towards the silver Volvo parked not so far away from her car, but she did, and she was totally confused by what she'd saw. She hadn't recognized Bella Swan at first. They hadn't seen each other since the last time Charlie's daughter came to Forks – probably five years before Leah's leaving – and she was already obsessed with Sam then, so she didn't remember doing anything with her. What she did remember was the way Jacob tended to follow the little girl the day Charlie told him that he was responsible for her safety. Seeing as he was glaring at the owner of the Volvo, she wondered if Jacob wasn't still feeling the same as when they were younger.

She couldn't hear their conversation but she could guess it was pretty heated by the way Bella's boyfriend was shielding the poor girl from Jacob. The boys' aggressive stance worried her, because she would probably get the blame if something happened to Jacob. Not that she thought the other boy stood a chance against the massive Quileute, even if he seemed pretty aware of Jacob's moves.

When Bella stepped up in front of her boyfriend, Leah noticed that Jacob calmed down slightly. The way he was looking at the pale girl, as if he was relieved to see her, made Leah wonder if they weren't fallen out with each other.

Bella's creepy boyfriend then gazed at her direction and his frown sent a shiver through her spine as she finally pinpointed why Jacob was desperate to talk to his longtime friend. The Volvo driver was a Cullen kid, and the Cullens didn't have good press in la Push reservation.

She met him and his father once, and it was the weirdest experience she'd ever had; it occurred before Sam's return. She had landed at Forks hospital after three days of intense searching for Sam. The hunger, the worry and the exhaustion got the best of her and she collapsed at Forks' police station when Charlie said that they were calling off the search.

When she'd opened her eyes, she remembered the Cullen doctor talking to his son about the way she smelt, but she had no time to react to that because her father had barged into the room and told them that she was transferred to the Quileute medical center. She had never forgotten the way the Cullen kid stared at her, with a mixture of disgust and confusion. Exactly the same look he was throwing at her at that moment.

She shook her head and focused on Jacob and Bella, who seemed to have forgotten the third wheel near them. Anybody could see that there was something going on between the two friends, something more intense than friendship, at least on Jacob's part. But as soon as Creepy Cullen made his presence known, she saw Bella revert back to the girl mesmerized by her boyfriend's face.

_Wait, is he wearing lip gloss?_

The creepy paleface stared at her again, as if he'd heard her thoughts, and shot her a death glare before tensing and looking back at Jacob, who looked like he was trying to kill his rival by telepathy. Judging by the bewildered face the latter was displaying, it seemed to work quite fine.

The rest of the conversation was a blur and she didn't have a chance to comprehend what was going on before the principal broke it up. Bella was dragged to the school by her boyfriend while Jacob walked towards the road, leaving Leah completely confused by all this exchange.

She didn't know why she did it, but she started her car and followed him down the road.

"Jacob? Jacob! Stop!"

He did as he was told and she shivered when she looked into his eyes. His empty stare reminded hers when Sam had left her and made her heart clench. Without thinking twice, she opened the passenger door and commanded him to get inside the car.

Neither of them uttered a word until they arrived at the Forks Police Station. He was still sulking and she had no intention of comforting him. She always tried to stay away from love matters. It was better for her health as far as she was concerned. Her history with Sam had scarred her deeply and had made her wary of men, so she wasn't equipped to deal with Jacob's feelings.

"You can keep the car if you want to go home. I'll make Charlie drop me after our meeting."

"Sam would kill me if I leave you alone," he grumbled.

"Sam? Are you kidding me? I thought my father was the one who ordered you to come with me!"

"Well… Sam suggested that you shouldn't be alone and your father agreed."

A surge of anger overwhelmed her while she grasped the truth behind Jacob's words. She couldn't believe that her ex was already trying to control her every moves. Probably realizing that she was about to explode, Jacob put his hand over hers.

"Look, Leah. I know you hate him and that you can't understand why he's so protective of you, but you can't do anything about it. So do what you have to do, enjoy your family while you're here, and let us do our thing. I promise that you won't even know we're here. We won't bother you as long as you don't bitch at us for doing our job. Do that and you won't have to see Sam."

Her childhood friend then held out his hand, making Leah think about his suggestion.

"Ok. Deal. As long as you don't annoy me," she grumbled as she shook his hand.

"I'll keep a low profile, like a ninja!" he replied with a chuckle.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, slightly amused by the mental image she got.

…

Unlike Leah's father who looked ten years older than his actual age, Charlie Swan hadn't changed at all, even if he seemed to be pretty tired.

"Sorry, I'm late. Had to drive Miss Daisy over there before coming here," she explained.

"No worries, kid," Charlie laughed. "So you wanted information about the last year's disappearance?"

"Yes, I learned that he disappeared on his way back to Seattle."

Charlie nodded and handed her a file which she took from him. She read everything carefully, looking for something special. Something that would be useful for her investigations.

_Missing person_

_Name : Riley Biers_

_Age: 19_

_Missing : between April 15 and May 2, 2005_

"Between April 15 and May 2?" she repeated, frowning. "You don't know exactly when he disappeared?"

"Jenna Biers, his older sister, had reported him missing two weeks after his last visit, because he didn't answer to her calls. She didn't worry before because he was pretty lonely and he'd told her that he wouldn't see her the next week, but when he didn't come home the week after, she panicked. His car was found in Port Angeles, with his cell phone and all his papers. Jenna found it strange because that's not the road he usually takes to go back to Seattle."

"What about his parents?" she asked.

"He only has his sister and a younger brother. Their parents died in a car accident when Riley was 16."

That information triggered her instinct.

"So he was an orphan and wasn't too close to the rest of his family. He was reserved. He had probably no friends nor any girlfriend because no one reported his missing in Seattle," she deduced.

"That's right. You should have studied profiling, Leah. You're pretty good at defining situations."

She smiled sadly at her father's friend, realizing while Charlie might be right; she wasn't skilled enough to figure out what was going on in her own family.

"Why are you interested in that guy disappearance?" Jacob asked as he dipped into Charlie's doughnuts box.

"My boss asked me to come here because there is a series of disappearances and unexplained murders in Seattle. We think that Riley Biers was linked to this."

"Seattle is a big city, kid," Charlie intervened. "There's a lot of people missing in big cities."

"I know but... There's something really weird with all of this. I worked on all of those cases, since I'm the one who writes the missing reports given by the Seattle PD. Like Riley, those people are reported missing after a week or a month with no news of them. All of them were last spotted on their way to Seattle. And like Biers, they have few or no family left. I don't know why, but I think that the disappearances are all linked together. We have a list of 40 persons missing in a year length showing the same profile, and when I heard of Riley Biers, I felt like I had to check his story by myself."

"So, if those disappearance are linked, what does it mean?" Jacob questioned, his face full of icing from the doughnuts showing real concern.

"I believe that there is a serial killer in Seattle who preys on people with no strings," Leah answered before casting a glance at Charlie. "Did you see anything strange with Biers' car?"

"I wasn't there when they found it. It was found on the Port Angeles area, so it wasn't my jurisdiction, but... I heard some weird stories from my PA colleague."

"About the car?"

"Yeah. They'd brought search dogs near the car, hoping to find a trail or something to begin the searches, and the dogs went crazy."

"Crazy? Like what?" Leah insisted, noticing Jacob tensing from the corner of her eyes.

"Well, they didn't want to go near the car. They were yelping like they wanted to leave the place. One of them bit its trainer and fled. They never found it."

"That's weird..."

"But very common, nowadays. We had the same issue with them a few months ago. There were a few missing hikers around the area and we asked for some back-up. The dogs refused to approach the campsite and -"

"Maybe they weren't so well trained," Jacob cut in, his harsh voice startling Charlie and Leah.

"I don't think so," the sheriff retorted. "They're the best search dogs known in the Washington State."

"So either they were frightened by something around the crime scene, either the responsible of the disappearance did something to prevent them to find their trail... It means that someone is really behind it." Leah concluded.

"Maybe it's because of a wild animal?" Jacob suggested, apparently more agitated. "Like... A bear or something... Bear attacks had been common for the last two years..."

His words made Leah raise an eyebrow.

"I don't believe that bears could make trained dogs freak out like that." Charlie said.

"And I don't think people in Port Angeles would have missed it if a bear was in town, either," she added. "So it had to be someone."

Jacob literally ran toward her and grabbed her by her arm.

"Ok, that's enough. We have to go, Leah."

"What? Why? Charlie was telling me something important!"

"Sorry, Charlie, but we really have to go. You'll talk to him about that later." he said as he dragged her outside the police station.

"What's wrong with you, Black?" she snapped, yanking her arm with all her might, but with no effect.

"You're playing with fire and it's not good for you, nor for Charlie. Now get inside the car and let's go!"

He didn't leave her time to react as he pushed her inside the car and ran to the driver's side.

"Who do you think you are, telling me what I have to do? You're not my father!"

"No, I'm not, but I know he will agree with me when I'll tell him what you're doing here!"

"I'm only doing my job!"

"You're going to get yourself killed if you keep doing that!" Jacob roared angrily.

Leah gasped, completely taken aback by his outburst. She could hear the steering wheel cracking under his hand.

"I'm an adult, Jacob. I understand your concern but I know what I'm doing. If there really is a serial killer in Seattle, people need to know the truth. It's my job to alert our readers and to make sure that there will be no more disappearance if I can prevent it."

"You don't understand, Leah."

"So tell me! Talk to me, Jacob. Tell me why you're reacting this way, because I'm really confused right now..." she pleaded.

Jacob opened his mouth several times, but nothing came out. She saw the pain in his features, and she could see the conflicted emotions through his eyes, as if he was fighting with himself. The distress in his voice when he spoke made Leah flinch.

"I - I just feel that you shouldn't be involved into this. If really a serial killer is involved, you're taking a great risk by poking your nose into his business. And... We won't be able to protect you in Seattle."

"I don't need protection, Jacob. And I have a pen name. You don't have to worry about my safety," she tried to reason him.

"You're Seth's sister, and you're family. I'll always worry about you."

Leah's heart skipped a beat. For the first time in years, she felt that someone truly cared about her. She wasn't ready to give up her investigation but she knew that he wouldn't get rid of him if she kept confronting him.

"Ok. You gave me a headache. How about we go eat somewhere? I'm starving and I really want to forget this awkward moment," she suggested.

Jacob smiled softly and went off like a shot, leaving a confused Charlie in the parking lot.


End file.
